First day of four doctors working together 'under the bombs'

Bert De Belder

The four doctors forming the Medical Team of 'Geneeskunde voor de Derde Wereld' (Medicine for the Third World) in Iraq – Claire Geraets, Harrie Dewitte, Colette Moulaert and Geert Van Moorter – have got well through today's heavy bombing and fighting in Baghdad.

From the Sheraton hotel where they are staying they witnessed the battle across the Tigris, in the western part of town. In the afternoon however shops opened again, cars were driving round and life was more or less back to normal. 'The Iraqi resistance troops remain visible in our part of town', Geert says, 'there are some who are driving around cheering and waving flags of Iraq, just like after a victorious football match. We heard several reactions of hate for the American troops.'  

But life in town is certainly not getting easier. 'The lift in our hotel does not work anymore, and we are on the tenth floor', Geert says.' A friend of ours, from the Iraqi friendship league, panicked: his relatives live near the Mansour hotel where an American cruise missile destroyed four houses. Despite the danger he went over there.' 

"An 'embedded' journalist, thinking I was a colleague of his, told me something fearful", Geert adds. 'American soldiers shot two Iraqi soldiers that had surrendered! He saw pictures of this but knows they won't be shown on CNN. The pictures show two Iraqi soldiers with their hands on their heads. As they are lying down, G.I.s step forward and shoot them in cold blood!' 

Heavy fighting made it impossible to reach hospitals today. Claire and Colette went exploring the town, while Harrie and Geert took measures to arrange a meeting at the Iraqi ministry of public health for tomorrow. There they want to regulate the handing over of the 80 kilos of medicines and surgical materials  brought to Baghdad by Harrie and Claire. They really pulled off a difficult feat. This is clear when you hear that the Belgian VRT-journalist did not make it to Iraq via the same way through Syria today! An important part of the explanation must be the unwavering solidarity with the Iraqi people on the part of Geneeskunde voor de Derde Wereld.